Dexter Versus Mandark
by Martial Arts Master
Summary: Dexter challenges Mandark to a boxing match to prove once and for all who's the better person. Dexter's using special gloves, but as it turns out, so is Mandark? Who will win? Read it and find out! Please review!


Dexter Versus Mandark  
by Martial Arts Master  
Dexter and all related characters copyrighted by Hanna-Barbara and Cartoon Network. Now let's start the story!  
  
***  
  
Dexter was sitting in his laboratory, thinking. He was thinking about his nemesis, Mandark. For years, Dexter had been trying to prove he was smarter than Mandark, but he had not succeeded. The only thing that gave him comfort was that Mandark had so far not gotten ahead of Dexter, either. But Dexter would not settle for being second best. He was the smartest boy on the planet! He just had to prove it.  
"But what can I do?" Dexter asked himself. He had tried showing off Monkey in show-in-tell, but that stupid monkey wouldn't even do his trick! Dexter had only been saved from total humiliation because Mandark's duck didn't do anything either. Dexter had to think of something else.  
"Computer!" he suddenly shouted.  
"Yes, Dexter?" the computer asked.  
"Give me a list of Mandark's weaknesses," Dexter said.  
"Scanning..." the computer said. The computer sent a probe droid out of the lab. After a long time, the probe droid came back and made some bleeping noises, then went inert.  
"List of weaknesses commencing..." the computer said. "First weakness: Mandark has romantic feelings for organic life form 'Dee-Dee'. Second weakness: Mandark is conceited. Third weakness: Mandark is as strong physically as he is mentally."  
"Stop!" Dexter interrupted. He had just gotten an idea. A very brilliant idea.  
  
An hour later...  
  
"Eureka!" Dexter exclaimed. He had finished his ultimate creation! He was admiring it now.  
His creation was a pair of boxing gloves. Outside, they looked like ordinary red boxing gloves. But INSIDE, they were made of a very strong metal. Anybody unfortunate enough to be punched by THESE gloves would feel as though they were hit by a boxing gloves full of horseshoes. And best of all, the metal was lightweight, so Dexter could punch with them easily! All he had to do was challenge Mandark to a boxing match! Mandark wasn't strong physically, and against Dexter's metal gloves Mandark wouldn't stand a chance!"  
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Dexter laughed maniacally! "Finally, I'll show Mandark who is the TRUE genius!"  
He went out of his laboratory and went downstairs to the kitchen. He called Mandark on the phone.  
Dexter heard the phone ring a couple of times. Then he heard Mandark answer, "Who is it?"  
"It is I, Dexter!" Dexter said.  
"What on earth do YOU want?" Mandark asked rudely.  
"I want to challenge you to a boxing match!" Dexter said.  
"A boxing match?" Mandark asked incredulously. "You gotta be kidding me! I'll humiliate you!"  
"Why don't you prove it at the park tomorrow?" Dexter said. Then he taunted, "Unless you're AFRAID!"  
"I'm not afraid!" Mandark said. "I'll see you at the park tomorrow!"  
Dexter heard Mandark hang up on the other end.  
  
The day after...  
  
Dexter stood face to face with Mandark. Mandark was also wearing a pair of boxing gloves, but Dexter was confident that he could beat him.  
"So, Dexter, are you ready to lose?" Mandark taunted.  
"I'm ready to WIN!" Dexter said.  
"Ok, let's see how well you can handle THIS!" Mandark said. Mandark suddenly punched Dexter, and Dexter was sent flying into a tree. With horror, Dexter realized that Mandark was using the same kind of gloves that he himself was using!  
"Hey, you copied me!" Dexter said.  
"Au contraire," Mandark replied. "If you, too, are using a pair of these gloves, then you're the one who copied me!"  
"We'll see who's better!" Dexter shouted. Dexter suddenly jumped down from the tree, rushed at Mandark, and hit him with an uppercut. Mandark was sent up into the air, and he landed with a thud.  
Mandark got up and said, "You think you can beat me? Think again!"  
Mandark punched at Dexter's face, but he aimed too high and passed over Dexter completely since Dexter was very short. Dexter took advantage of this opportunity to punch Mandark's left knee.  
"Ow!" Mandark exclaimed, grabbing his left knee and repeatedly hopping around on his right foot. Mandark then recovered and punched the ground, causing a minor shockwave to send Dexter up into the air. When Dexter came down, Mandark hit him with an uppercut that knocked him to the ground with a thud.  
"Jeez, that hurts!" Dexter said. Dexter then got up and said, "Ok, you're gonna get it!"  
Dexter went behind a tree and punched at its base. The tree fell towards Mandark, but Mandark hopped out of the way.  
"Ha! Missed me!" Mandark taunted.  
"Not for long!" Dexter shouted, having only caused the tree to fall to distract Mandark. Dexter took advantage of Mandark's distraction by rushing at him and clubbing him in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground. Mandark responded by viciously kicking Dexter's feet out from under him, to which Dexter responded by getting up and lunging at Mandark. Soon they were punching at each other repeatedly.  
  
5 minutes later...  
  
Dexter and Mandark were both laying on the ground, panting for breath and close to unconsciousness.  
"I'll...stay awake...longer," Dexter said, his words coming out slowly because he was panting.  
"No...that'll..be..me...who..stays...awake...longer..." Mandark retorted, his words coming out slowly for the same reason.  
Both Dexter and Mandark silently agreed that the boy who passed out first would be considered the loser and the lesser genius.  
After about 3 minutes, they both passed out at the same time.  
An old man who had been watching the fight for amusement said, "I guess that's a draw."  
  
The End  
  
***  
  
E-mail all questions and comments to bleifer@msn.com. 


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